All About Apple’s ResearchKit and CareKit

Apple recently announced advancements to its ResearchKit programme and also introduced the CareKit as an addition to Health apps family, all on the same day it announced the iPhone SE and iPad Pro 9.7inch. Learn all about both, differences, similarities and what they do.

A software framework for apps that let you better understand and manage your medical conditions.

Introduction

When medical research gets easier, understanding disease is simpler. For medical researchers, the first step to battling disease is understanding it. ResearchKit is helping researchers achieve that goal. An open source framework for building apps, ResearchKit makes it easier to enroll participants and conduct studies. Since its introduction, the amount of data collected — and the insight gained — has been groundbreaking.

Introduction

The more you know about your health, the better you can look after it. With the right tools, you can play an active role in managing your own health. That’s why we created CareKit — an open source software framework enabling developers to build apps that help you manage your medical conditions. Rather than relying solely on doctor visits, you’ll be able to regularly track your symptoms and medications, and even share the information with your care team for a bigger — and better — picture of your health.

Research

More participants mean more data. And more meaningful results. The biggest challenge medical researchers face is recruiting participants. Often just a handful of people are used in a study. But the sheer number of iPhone users around the globe means that apps built on ResearchKit can enroll participants and gather data in bigger numbers than ever. Information can also be collected with far more regularity — daily or even hourly — as people go about their lives. The result is a much larger and more varied study group, more frequent data, and a more accurate representation of the population.

Research

Great apps are already being developed using CareKit. Developers are already using the CareKit framework to create personal care apps. Soon you’ll be able to use apps that incorporate CareKit modules such as Care Card and Insight Dashboard. You’ll also be able to connect directly with your care team. Here are a few of the first apps.

Functions

Taking research out of the lab and into the real world. ResearchKit makes it easy for you to sign up for and participate in a study by using the iPhone that’s already in your pocket. You no longer have to travel to a hospital or facility to complete tasks and fill out questionnaires. Instead, you can perform activities using the advanced sensors in iPhone to generate incredibly precise data wherever you are, providing a source of information that’s more objective than ever before.

Implementation and apps

Research has already come a long way — fast. In a short amount of time, the apps built on ResearchKit have helped medical institutions enroll an unprecedented number of participants in their studies. Which, in turn, is helping researchers gain insights and discover correlations that were simply not possible before.

Creating a clearer picture of Parkinson’s disease.Since its launch in 2015, the mPower app has enrolled over 10,000 participants, making it the largest Parkinson’s study in history — with 93 percent of participants never having taken part in any kind of research before. The app helps researchers diagnose and better understand Parkinson’s disease by using the gyroscope and other iPhone features to measure dexterity, balance, gait, and memory. Researchers have gained greater insight into the factors that make symptoms better or worse, such as sleep, exercise, and mood.

Discovering a better way to diagnose autism.

Research has shown that early treatment of developmental issues can lead to higher IQs and better social skills. The Autism & Beyond app uses the front-facing HD camera in iPhone, along with innovative facial recognition algorithms, to analyze emotional reactions to videos in children as young as 18 months. And children can be screened without having to see a specialist in person, allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment. The app successfully enrolled more people in the first month than a previous nine-month onsite study did.

Finding a way to predict seizures with Apple Watch.Researchers hope Apple Watch could eventually help predict seizures before they happen. Since its launch, the EpiWatch app has enabled people to accurately track the onset and duration of seizures in real time, creating a correlation between episode history and medication. Participants sensing an impending seizure launch the app by tapping a custom complication on Apple Watch. The accelerometer and heart rate sensors are triggered, and an alert is automatically sent to a designated family member or caregiver.

Implementation and Apps (coming soon)

Bringing patients better postsurgical care. This postsurgery app will give you a better way to take care of yourself when you leave the hospital. Using the Care Card module of CareKit, the app will let you easily keep track of your postsurgical needs — like monitoring pain levels, temperature, range of mobility, and medication — and help you stay more connected with your doctor. Care teams will be able to look at the data you enter and reach out if you need to see your doctor.

Managing chronic conditions day to day. Chronic conditions can be challenging to live with. This chronic disease management app will give you and your doctors a window into your daily symptoms, for better insight and more personalized ongoing care. Using the Insight Dashboard module of CareKit, the app will let you see your progress over time, quickly revealing which treatments are working. And you’ll be able to share the information with your care team.

An easier way to manage diabetes. Living with diabetes means constantly managing your blood sugar. The One Drop app incorporates CareKit modules that let you monitor how you’re feeling. You’ll be able to track your pain, hunger, and dizziness against measurements such as your glucose levels. And all this information can easily be shared with loved ones and caregivers directly from the app.

Privacy Share your data, keep your privacy. We know how much you value the privacy of your information, and both ResearchKit and CareKit have been designed with that in mind. You choose which research studies you want to join, you control what information you provide to which apps, and you can always see the data you’re sharing.

ResearchKit ResearchKit is available to developers worldwide. Learn more at researchkit.org.